Founded in 2010 by Eric Gunderson, Mapbox has expanded rapidly and grown beyond its startup roots to become a leader in the cartographic renaissance. Their MapboxGL JavaScript API is a useful library for creating interactive web maps and data visualizations. They have contributed multiple open mapping specifications, including vector tiles, to the geospatial community.
With a core focus on providing custom basemap tiles to map and app developers, Mapbox has positioned themselves as the leading software company for web mapping and mobile applications. The two Python modules used in this chapter allow GIS managers and developers to integrate their services and tools into an enterprise geographic information ecosystem.